Heavy, heavy heart

My heart is so heavy and so sad this evening. There's a student at our school and her family who are in desperate need of your prayers tonight, and please keep 'em coming. And then keep 'em coming some more. I know the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away and it's all, eventually, for good. I often just don't understand the purpose of bad things that happen to people. If you're a praying person, please put in a special one for this young lady and her family.

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4

Your warm fuzzy for the day

I really, really need to go to bed but I want to share this first. I am in no way, shape, or form a supporter of University of Alabama athletics. I'm an Auburn gal to the core. However, this is pure sweetness no matter where your loyalties lie. Seeing this darling girl get to feel like a princess made me need a hanky...

There is still so much good in our broken world. Happy new week, friends.

White Wine Sangria

I had supper last night with a bunch of wonderful girls, and tacos were on the menu. I wanted to make some sangria because let's face it, girls love sangria. At least this girl does! I found a new "recipe" on Pinterest and decided to try it out. In the most literal sense, I believe what I made is not actually sangria. However, it tasted amazing, was a huge hit, tasted amazing, looked pretty, and tasted amazing. What's not to love?

White Wine Sangria
1 bottle (750 mL) white wine...I used Pinot Grigio, but I think Sauvignon Blanc would be great, too
3 cans Fresca...I could only fit two cans in the pitcher I used, but it turned out fine
any variety of fresh fruit...I used two tangelos, one lime, and a container of raspberries

Mix all ingredients together and serve.

Done! Doesn't get much easier than that! I mixed everything together in the pitcher and let it sit in the refrigerator for several hours. I like for the ingredients to get to know each other for a while; everybody's happier that way. The Fresca wasn't real fizzy after sitting out but it didn't affect the taste. If you want a fizzier drink, you could let the fruit soak in the wine for a while and pour the Fresca in at the end.

Most important step: You absolutely must eat the fruit when the pitcher is empty. That's an order. The boozy fruit is the best part, and don't you forget it!

Easy, tasty, fun, and pretty...that's my kinda beverage :)

original recipe: http://highstreetmarket.blogspot.com/2009/07/sweet.html

Easter, a week later

Funny story (that's not really funny). A few weekends ago, I left my camera cord and charger at the ol' homestead. I asked my mom to mail it to me so that I could upload my pictures from the weekend. She mailed it the next day, and then it fell off the face of the planet. Absolutely disappeared. I have a big trip coming up, and I really needed to be able to charge my camera. I finally acknowledged that my package had been lost in the mail, admitted defeat, and ordered a replacement. $50 later, my new cord and charger shipped. The exact same day, the package from my mom arrived. Just my luck, folks! It took TEN stinkin' days to travel a grand total of 40 miles. As frustrated as I was, I'm just glad to be back in business. And I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new charger, because who doesn't need two camera chargers?! Ugh. Anyway, now I'm finally able to share the pictures that have been stuck on my camera.

Easter is hands-down my favorite holiday. I love having such a lovely day of celebration after the somberness of Lent. Going to church on Easter Sunday always lifts my spirits, makes me smile, and makes me glad to be alive. There's such hope and promise, the music is lovely, and everyone seems to be in a celebratory mood. What a glorious day indeed!

This year, I was blessed to spend the whole weekend with my family. Saturday was spent planting "the farm"...aka, the little garden we've got big hopes for this year.

{cantaloupe, okra, jalapenos, cucumbers, scary hot peppers)

{Atkinson and Sweet Million tomatoes, and two black & white farmhands...our tomatoes have been "blighted" the last few years, so we're trying them in pots this year. We'll see!}

We also dyed Easter eggs Saturday. I don't think you ever get too old to dye eggs, and we look forward to it every year. This year, we decided to use Kool-Aid...thank you, Pinterest. It worked really well. Just mix a packet of Kool-Aid with one cup of water; no vinegar needed. Our eggs turned out a bit speckled when they dried, but overall they looked great. We think we've started a new tradition!

{It's cool to not wear makeup when you dye eggs. Did you know?}

{We dyed a few eggs using a kit, just for kicks and giggles. Those are the shiny ones, and the rest are our Kool-Aid eggs.}

Easter Sunday was spent going to church, cooking a lovely lunch, and enjoying time with family. I'm very thankful that Uncle Robert was able to join us. He and Mimi were in a storytelling mood, and I loved hearing them recall funny moments from their childhood. They seemed to have quite an assortment of weirdo relatives; they had us all in stitches with their stories.

Happy Easter! He is risen!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the grace of the good Lord, and the fact that He will never give up on me...ever
• my family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• my job, my coworkers, the energetic little people I get to spend my days with
• eyes that see, ears that hear, legs and feet that carry me where I need to go, hands that do everything that needs to get done
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, just enough money in the bank, clothes in my closet, a cute little car that does exactly what I need it to do
• peace and contentment
• absolutely, ridiculously, undeniably gorgeous and much cooler weather this week...I've been pretty much living outside
• fun stuff coming up...lots to look forward to!
• a tidy, clean little home
• simplicity
• being literate, and some good new books to read
• our walking club
• my students doing a fabulous job on the ARMT+ testing this week...one more day!
• the absolutely killer day I have planned for them tomorrow after the test is over...campout in the classroom :) Can't wait!
• a good, long chat with my mama today
• new friends, and some fun new activities to keep me busy
• old friends who are always, always, always there for me and know everything about me but love me anyway
• getting to see Titanic soon...I'll never let go, Jack!
• the fact that my camera cord and charger arrived in the mail today, 10 days after it was mailed (only 40 miles away)...the fact that it arrived the exact same day that my new $50 replacement shipped is something I'm choosing to laugh over instead of crying. I'm just thankful it's here. And I wonder where on God's green earth it's been for 10 days. Again, I'm thankful it's here :)
• farmers markets opening up over the next few weeks
• allergy medicine
• a really, really good walk this afternoon
• the precious young man in my math class who brought me a cinnamon roll today...there's a lot of "backstory" there, but the fact that he saw that cinnamon roll at home and immediately thought of me made me tear up. What a sweet, sweet moment in time. Thank you, Lord.
• getting to spend Easter with loved ones and getting to celebrate that He is risen!
• a lazy, low-key weekend right around the corner

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

The time we saved a goose

Our little "walking club" gets together after school to walk at a nearby park. The park is a lovely place, with a pond and an assortment of critters swimming around. The fish, turtles, frogs, and ducks are fine by me. In fact, I enjoy them. The geese, though? All 416,000 of them that call the park home? The ones that poop all over the place? And hiss at you? And snap at you if you get too close? Not a fan. This video perfectly illustrates why I don't like the geese at the park:

Yesterday, we saw a man holding one end of an incredibly long piece of fishing line. He explained to us that the other end was attached to a goose in the water. The line had gotten wrapped around his little foot, and the man was trying to help free it. The goose wanted no part and swam off, so the man had to give up. Fast forward to 20 minutes later. A whole posse of geese crossed the track right in front of us, and we noticed that one of them looked really strange, very agitated. Eagle Eye Teri saw that the goose had a (very, very long) piece of fishing line wrapped around its foot. It was the same one...what are the odds?

I was very sad for him because I thought of the unhappy life a goose would lead with yards of fishing line wrapped around his leg. We grabbed onto the line and got our keys ready to try to cut it. It was kind of like walking a dog on a leash. Except, it was a goose...on a fishing line...who really, REALLY did not want to be walked. He turned around to give us the stink eye a few times. Before we could start cutting, he flew away very abruptly. We were disappointed until we realized...we were still holding the fishing line! The entire thing broke right off his foot when he flew off. He honked just a bit as he flew away, and while I'm not fluent in Goose, I imagine his victory cry was similar to...

To top it off, we also saved a teeny, tiny, absolute miniscule little frog (also spotted by Eagle Eye Teri) from being squished on the track. Bless his heart, he was so little he must've just graduated from being a tadpole the day before. I hope he stays where he belongs (not where the big tall people get their laps in) and lives a happy, healthy, croaky life.

I'm thinking that we should form some sort of superteam and hire ourselves out to help animals in need. In the meantime, I'll be waiting by my mailbox for my thank you note from the goose. Looking back at the first video, I'm guessing that thank you note won't ever make it. Dumb ol' goose.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the grace of the good Lord and the patience He has with me
• Holy Week and a chance to reflect
• my family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• my job, my coworkers, our lovely building, and the little people I get to spend my days with
• the bang-UP job my students have been doing with their testing practice...they are going to ROCK that test next week! I can just feel it!
• enough money to cover my needs and (sometimes) my wants
• food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, clean running water whenever I want it, a fabulous bed, a sweet little car that gets ridonkulous gas mileage
• electricty and hot showers
• the births of Laura Kate Conerly and Cole Bryant Hopper this week...gorgeous, healthy little blessings!
• getting to hold Cole at the hospital yesterday...such a handsome, snuggly lovemuffin :)
• plans to see Titanic with some lovely friends and a sweet friend-to-be...excited you want to join in on the fun, Angie!
• the news that Neeley is safe and sound after the tornadoes in Dallas this week...I hate tornadoes
• 30 Rock
• starting to find my place in this big ol' world...maybe kinda sorta :)
• several fun trips to look forward to...a change of scenery every now and then is good for the soul
• Pinterest
• strong legs and arms that do what I need them to do
• a mind that remembers most of the junk I cram in it
• eyes that see and ears that hear
• some exciting new changes in our math instruction next year...a bit overwhelming, but exciting nonetheless
• very respectful behavior from our 5th graders during our presentation this morning
• an absolutely spectacular weekend last weekend (birthday lunch! Cousin Jerry! China Grove! Blue Angels!), and a lovely Easter weekend coming up
• chirpy birds
• the fact that the USPS brought me a crack-you-up funny card from the 'rents today (thanks, Maw & Paw) even though the aforementioned postal service managed to drop my camera cord (left behind last weekend and mailed to me by my precious mama) in a black hole this week...if I never recover the cord, I'll just draw yall some sketches of the Blue Angels flying. Same thing, right?
• frozen cherries...new favorite snack
• the way the Lord is movin' and shakin' in the Johnson family...so excited about their new adventure!
• peace and contentment
• a nice little rain today...I love the sunshine, but cloudy days are a nice change of pace
• the fact that the rain cooled things off and it actually feels like...dare I say it?...springtime outside. No more springsummer for now!
• the knowledge that the good Lord loves us so much that He chose to die...just to save us. Unspeakably incredible.

Happy weekend, yall, and HAPPY EASTER!

Weekends are my thing

Last Saturday was surely one of the most gorgeous weekends in the entire existence of spring. Surely.

The temperature was in the 70s, quite a nice change from the high 80s we've had lately. (What was up with that, by the way? I was not a fan.)

There was a delightful breeze. The sky was blue. The birds were chirping. The pollen...washed away by the rain we got earlier. Excellent.

I made a trip to the ol' homestead to visit with the fam. Daddy and I worked in the yard, and then we listened to Prairie Home Companion (a Saturday evening staple) on the front porch and I piddled around with my camera. What a perfect day; life is good!

{photo op before weeding...he and Dorothy are obsessed with each other}

{Weeding is more fun if there's a beer involved...or so I'm told.}

{finally fixed the tree face}

{playing like a puppy...haven't seen her move like that in years!}

{I absolutely adore the view from the front porch.}

Blessings to you and yours this weekend, friends! Get out there and live it.

Thankful Thursday

This week has sprouted wings and literally flown away. Where did it go? I'm just holding on tight and trying to enjoy the ride! Today I am thankful for...

• the unending, never-failing grace of the good Lord
• my family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• my job, my coworkers, our lovely building, and the wonderful little people I spend my days with
• the stack of papers I need to grade tonight, because that means I have a job
• a great workshop yesterday, and getting to see some former Auburn classmates/former coworkers...fun, unexpected reunion!
• the aforementioned workshop serving as a reminder of the kind of teacher I want to be
• hot showers and clean, running water absolutely any time I want it
• a roof over my head, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, electricity, a darling little car that gets really great gas mileage
• just enough money to get me through the month and, coming up tomorrow, PAYDAY :)
• optimism
• a killer walk this evening...I walked my legs off but it feels so good
• beautiful spring weather
• my pretty little plants growing and thriving...I love growing things
• a wonderful weekend last week, and a much-anticipated one this week
• contentment and peace
• healthy pregnancies and babies for some dear girls in my life...more babies coming soon! Love :)
• deciding to paint my toenails and wear sandals to work today...spring is officially here
• the opportunity to see some former students today at the band/show choir presentation...it always makes me happy to see my former schoolbabies thriving in their new "big kid lives"
• fun trips to look forward to
• random, weirdo links via emails from Kate...read this article and then remind yourself: these people walk among us. Yep.
• getting to catch up with Neeley earlier this week, only wish it were under happier circumstances...I know she and her family would appreciate your prayers
• cleaning house, literally and figuratively...refreshing and certainly for the best
• people who pay attention to their grammar
• good manners
• finding and reading an old journal...what a perspective check! Great reminder that my plan is very often not the best one...I need to let God drive more often :)
• laughter

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Quarter century

{picture stolen shamelessly and without regret from my mama's facebook profile}

Yesterday, my darling little brother turned 25. That's an entire quarter of a century. Since the above picture was taken last week, this comes as a bit of a surprise to me. 25?? Merciful heavens. Time truly does fly!

I adore my brother. This also comes as a surprise to me sometimes, since we spent a very large portion of our growing up years convinced that the other one needed to go find a new family to live with. Thankfully, we finally realized that we actually get along really well.

He celebrated his birthday yesterday by working the night shift at the ER. I'm proud of how well he's doing in his new job as an RN. I'm proud of the man he's growing into. I'm honored that he chooses to include me in his life the way he does.

Happy birthday, Bub!

{Daniel's graduation in December...very proud moment for the fam}

Green Smoothie

This is my new favorite thing, and I feel compelled to share it with yall. I first heard of green smoothies last summer and thought, "Spinach? In a smoothie??" I was not sold. Once I tried it, though, I joined the legions of folks who agreed: you really can't taste the spinach. Really! Life got in the way and I forgot about my green smoothie conversion until recently. I'm sold, again.

I've had one every day for over a week and I've discovered something. It's a secret, so you can't tell anybody. Promise?

Eating good food makes you feel good.

Can you believe it?! What a novel thought! I'm glad I could teach you something new today :)

Over spring break, I've had a green smoothie for breakfast or supper every day. It's quick, easy, tasty, and is great fuel for your body. I've had more energy and just overall feel better (aside from this stupid sinus crud) since I've started eating more real, minimally processed food. The addition of Greek yogurt helps to make this filling enough to be a meal.

Here's my "recipe" if you're interested.

Green Smoothie (about 2 servings)
4-5 cups fresh spinach leaves
1-2 cups water
8 oz. plain Greek yogurt
1 ripe banana (to sweeten...honey or agave nectar could surely be substituted) (Use a frozen banana for a thicker, colder smoothie.)
about 1 cup frozen fruit (mix and match whatever you want)
a few ice cubes (if you like the texture on the icy side)

{Yes. This is a lot of spinach. And when you press the button, it magically reduces by about half. Trust me.}

{Ta-da! What a gorgeous shade of green. Make sure to blend your spinach a little longer than you think it needs, unless you want to encounter little spinach chunks in your smoothie.}

{Assemble the rest of your arsenal. I use a banana* so I won't have to add any other sweeteners, and because I really like bananas. Any combination of frozen fruit will work. And be sure to splurge for Greek yogurt! One serving of it has very little sugar, tons of calcium, and nearly half the protein you need in an entire day. Score.}

{Plop everything on top of your spinachy goodness and let it roll!}

{D.O.N.E. Very tasty, very healthy, and I'll say it again: you can't taste the spinach.}

I usually stick this in the freezer for a few minutes before pouring it, just to make it a bit colder.

I say this makes about two servings because it's enough to fill my cup up twice. Depending on how hungry I am, I sometimes drink both servings. It makes a great snack, too. I just save half for later if I'm making it as a snack. Let me know if you try it. I'd love to know what you think!

*Let the record show that I would never, ever ever ever, eat a banana this brown on its own. Egads. Ick. No. I enjoy bananas, but prefer them on the greenish side if I'm just eating them. In a smoothie, though, I've found that really ripe bananas sweeten much better. Food for thought...

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the grace of the good Lord, and the patience He extends to me every minute of every day
• my family and friends...the best in the world
• my health, and the health of my loved ones...I'm learning to never (ever, ever, ever) take this for granted
• a roof over my head, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, food in my fridge, electricity, clean running water, a dependable car that gets killer gas mileage, enough money to get me through every month
• strong legs that carry me everywhere I need to go
• hot showers
• NetiPots, Mucinex, decongestants, and allergy medicine...literally don't think I could function in the springtime without them!
• some very much needed rain coming through today...here's hoping it washes all this disgusting pollen away
• my job, and the fact that it gives me some breaks throughout the year that I enjoy very much
• after Monday, 41 more school days left...I have a feeling work is about to get really, really busy!
• the library, the fact that I'm literate, and the fact that I love to read
• very fun plans/events coming up over the next few months
• getting back to our walking club...I've missed yall this week!
• my sudden resolve to use up my vast collection of fabric before I buy anything new...I sorted all of my unused fabric yesterday, and holy moly. I refuse to let myself buy any  more until I've used this up !
• Dave Ramsey, for instilling in me a desire to make some really wise financial decisions in my young adulthood. I'm realizing more every day what a blessing it is to start making good choices early on, even though I've still got plenty of room to grow :)
• my rediscovered love of green smoothies...I'll share my "recipe" tomorrow
• some fun trips to plan...I love getting to see new places
• good manners, particularly when children have good manners
• thoughtfulness
• getting to chat with my mama at least twice a day this week, even if it's just to say hey real quick...the only times we get to do that are when I'm not working
• a fun cemetery-exploring date with Grandad and whatever assortment of family members decides to show up...this is sure to be an adventure!
• the sweet little baby sprout that's popped up beside one of my other plants...I hope I can keep it alive! I love that it's even leaning the same way; it wants to be just like its mama :) I'm really, really enjoying watching my plants grow.

{The Student Council gave all the teachers one of these plants for Teacher Appreciation Week last year. What a thoughtful gift!}

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Tidbits for your Wednesday evening

Ever feel like you've got a lot to say but none of it is remotely worthwhile? I'm there. Sorry for dragging yall down with me, but it's gotta be done.

*It seems that nearly everybody I know has recently birthed, is currently (as in today) birthing, or will (in the next few months) birth a new babe...holy baby boom! How fun it is to have lots of sweet babies to love on and then hand back over to their mamas :)

*When we return from spring break, there will be 41 schooldays left until summer break. Take out a week for the D.C. trip, a week for testing, a few days for end-of-the-year festivities...this whole thing just got reallllly doable.

*I'm thinking of starting myself a little sewing business this summer. I'm working right now to create a bit of an inventory. This makes me a bit nervous because what if I do all this sewing and then, um, nobody wants to buy my stuff? In that case, I guess I'd just have baby shower gifts for the next 11 years squared away!

*Spring break is awesome. I'm really good at it.

*I recently finished reading my newest library book, Bringing up Bebe. It was very, very fascinating. The author (an American woman raising three children in Paris) compares/contrasts French and American parenting styles. While I have no children of my own, as a teacher, I'm very interested in child rearing. I learned so much while reading it, and would consider it worth buying if I'm blessed with kids of my own someday. Have any of you read it? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

*Mimi took me to Cottontails at the beginning of the month. It's one of those crafty shows that Southern women so love. She treated me (and herself) to some lovely, all-natural skin care items and I'm now a really large fan. We met the lady who makes the products in her hometown of Enterprise, and she's got a really great philosophy (and gorgeous skin). Check it out at Boll Weevil Soap Company. Your skin will thank you.

*I've been drinking green smoothies every day since spring break started. I was very skeptical when I first heard of blending spinach up into a fruit smoothie but I promise...you can't tell it's there! So good, and it makes me feel like I'm giving my body some really good fuel. I'll share the "recipe" soon.

*Have you ever been to the National Holocaust Museum in D.C.? Another teacher and I were thinking of spending our time there while the other folks are otherwise occupied at the Smithsonian. The kids won't be going with us; just a few teachers. This day is mostly free time at the Smithsonian for the kids and their chaperones. After two trips in two years, we've seen just about every corner of the Smithsonian museums! Looking to do something different; just curious to see if anybody had any feedback.



Thanks for reading my silly little blog, friends. I really like writing, but sometimes having a blog devoted to your own life seems exceedingly self-important. That's something I wrestle with. Oh well. In the meantime, I enjoy writing and I'm glad some of you enjoy reading!

Dogtrot

I love old houses. Love, love, love, love them. I seek them out whenever I travel somewhere. I love to think about who lived there, what their lives were like, and what the area looked like when the house was first built.

This beauty is about 10 minutes from where I live, located on the road I take when I visit family in my hometown. I could take the interstate, but I choose not to. While the interstate is easy and efficient, it's ugly...plain and simple. I prefer pretty, thanks. That's why I choose to take the pretty back road with the pretty dogtrot house.

{The wisteria was pretty enough to make it into the picture. 'Cuz you know I'm all about pretty and all.}

{That ultra-crispy greenery left over from Christmas is kind of uglying up the pretty. Somebody should get right on that.}

I'm just crazy about this house, and have been for as long as I can remember. I wish I could see what this area, just a stone's throw from the interstate and surrounded by neighborhoods, looked like back in the day. Think of all that the residents of this little home must've seen! It was built only two decades after our fair state became a state, and was built a good two decades before the Civil War started. Oh, to go back in time...

Thankful Thursday

This week has been an endurance test, and I'm exhausted. One more day 'til spring break. These kiddos and I sure have earned it! Today I am thankful for...

• the grace of the good Lord, which He extends to me on an hourly basis
• my family and friends, and the fact that they love me exactly like I am
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, clean running water, hot showers, a car that gets awesome gas mileage, enough money in the bank to get me through the month...every month
• my job, and the little people I spend my time with
• my coworkers...our impromptu gathering in my room this afternoon reminded me of how blessed I am to love my job and the people I work with
• spring break
• a wonderful Career Day last week...Renita and Emily did such a great job, and we all had such a delightful day!
• Wednesday night supper club
• more sunshine in the evenings
• a phone date with my darling Kate planned for this evening
• the pounding headache I have right now, because it makes me appreciate the times when I don't have a pounding headache
• sunscreen
• a very fun field trip today...great activities + great weather + (mostly) great behavior from the kids = success
• a student singing "Amazing Grace" to me today...we went out on the playground when we got back from our field trip, and one of my students asked if she could sing something for me. I almost said no because of the aforementioned pounding headache and because I wanted a few moments of peace and quiet for myself. I told her yes instead, and was treated to a very sweet, very sincere rendition of one of my all-time favorite hymns. She said she sometimes sings it to her grandmother who lives in Heaven. I can't believe I nearly missed that precious little moment in time.
• spring break
• celebrating Pi Day for the first time yesterday...the kids had a BALL. Hearing them call out "Happy Pi Day!" up and down the hallway and seeing Pi symbols painted on their faces made my heart happy. Now, if only I could convince them to be that excited about math all the time...
• the fact that I have a job that gives me breaks throughout the year
• three fun trips in the works over the next few months
• Titanic...back out in theaters...3D...absolutely. cannot. wait.
• beautiful weather, even though it is a smidge warm...mid 80s doesn't quite scream "middle of March" to me
• my poor, pollen-hating sinuses struggling to do their job, because it makes me appreciate the times when they do actually manage to get their job done
• a long overdue chat with Kira last weekend
• Match Day finally arriving...thinking of you tomorrow, dear David and Elizabeth! It will all work out the way it's supposed to, and I can't wait to see where the good Lord decides to send you on your next big Johnson family adventure!
• the opportunity to live in a country that lets me vote...I know in a literal sense one vote doesn't matter, but what an incredible privilege we have as American citizens! Now, if I could just find a candidate to get really excited about...
• spring break

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!